Just a Small Tortoiseshell....

Not much time to spare today so a quick Blip. Ran out to the daisy beds and snapped this. Actually I'm quite pleased with it!

'One of our most common butterflies, the bright orange wings with black spots of the Small Tortoiseshell makes this one of our most easily recognised butterflies. It is fast flying in bright sunshine but can be easily approached when feeding.

The Small Tortoiseshell is a strong flyer and easily colonises suitable habitats. It also hibernates during the winter and is usually one of the first butterflies to be seen in the spring along with other regular hibernators, Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma and Brimstone.

Recent years have seen a rapid decline in numbers of Small Tortoiseshell numbers across Britain.

The Small Tortoiseshell can be found in a wide variety of habitats and regularly occurs in gardens feeding on Buddleia. It can also be found on disused railways and railway embankments rough ground and anywhere where the larval foodplant Common Nettle is present'.



Taken from: http://www.britishbutterflies.co.uk/species